Interlocking means for divisible container carrier

ABSTRACT

A locking clip for locking together a pair of sectional carrying cases to make up a composite carrying case and having retaining means extending outwardly from opposite sides of the clip to retain the locking clip in position. A composite carrying case made up of a pair of sectional carrying cases having slots in the bases thereof exposing the parts of the sectional carrying cases to be locked together and parts to receive the outwardly extending retaining means.

1 1 mew? 3,317,081 5/1967 Cornelius 220/102 3,343,705 9/1967 Erickson 220/234 3,434,592 3/1969 Moore et al. 206/65 C Primary Examiner-Raphael H. Schwartz Attorney-Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue 84 Raymond receive the outwardly extending retaining means.

ll States aten [72] Inventor Gerald Erickson 1 0. 110% 6175, Surlluide, Fla. 33154 I21 I Appl. No. 833,653 [22} Filed .lune16,1969 I45] Patented Sept. 7,1971

[54] IINTIERILOCIUNG MEANS FOR DHVHSHBILIE CONTAHNER CARRIER 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] 1.1.8. (31 22003.4 [51] lint. Cl B6511 21/02 [50] Field of Search 220/23.4;

206/65 C; 220/102, 104; 24/138 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,589,526 3/1952 Barker 220/23.4 3,163,480 12/1964 Hoenle... 220/23.4 X

INTEIRLOCKING MEANS FOR DIVISIIILIE CONTAINER CARRIER This invention relates to a device for locking together a pair of sectional carrying cases to make up a composite carrying case and to a composite carrying case locked together by said locking device.

The present invention is particularly applicable to sectional carrying cases of the type shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,705, issued Sept. 26, 1967, to Gerald Erickson. The sectional carrying case of this type has oppositely tapered dovetailed tongue and groove formations extending along the side of the carrying case to permit the carrying case to be interlocked with one or more other sectional carrying cases to make a composite carrying case. The composite carrying cases are ordinarily more easily handled than the individual carrying cases. However, in the event that the customer desires less than the composite carrying case, a sectional carrying case can be detached from the composite carrying case.

The locking device of the present invention provides a simple, effective and relatively permanent means for locking together sectional carrying cases which are not intended to be separated in handling. Toward this end, the sectional carrying cases which make up the composite carrying case are formed with slots in the bases thereof exposing parts of the sectional carrying cases to be clipped together and other parts which retain the locking device in place.

The locking device includes a resilient clip for engaging the parts of the sectional carrying cases to be locked together and outwardly extending retaining means which are force-fitted into engagement with other parts of the sectional carrying cases to retain the locking device in place.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention reference can be made to the detailed description which follows and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a pair of sectional carrying cases having slots in the bases thereof to accommodate the locking device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational end view of a composite carrying case made up of a series of interlocked sectional carrying cases with a portion broken away to show the locking device of the present invention in cross section;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a series of sectional carrying cases locked together to form a composite carrying case; and

FIG. d is a perspective view of the locking device of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, each carrying case I is formed on one side with a pair of tapered tongues 2 and 3 defining between them an open-ended tapered groove 4 and on the other side with a tapered tongue 5 and a relatively straight horizontally extending tongue 6 defining between them a tapered groove 7. The tongue and groove formations are pro vided with dovetail edges, and the tongues 3 and 5 are of complementary shape to the grooves 7 and 4, respectively, to enable them to be interlocked in side-by-side relationship.

The narrow end of the tapered tongue is readily inserted into the wider open end of the groove 4, and the narrow end of the tapered tongue 3 is readily inserted into the wider open end of the groove 7 to interlock the sectional carrying cases by moving them relatively on a horizontal plane until they are locked together in side-by-side relationship. A stop 8 at the narrow end of the groove 4 engages the narrow end of the tongue 5, insuring that the sectional carrying cases are interlocked and properly adjusted in fore and aft positions relative to each other.

The sectional carrying cases are provided with slots 9 exposing bottom edges I0 of the sidewalls and side edges II of the bottoms of the sectional carrying cases. The one-piece locking device I2, shown in FIG. 4, is accommodated within the slots to lock the sectional carrying cases together.

The locking device I2 is made of resilient material and includes a clip defined by a pair of clip elements l3 upstanding on an elon ated member 14. Sloped cam surfaces I5 extend outwardly rom each side of the clip below the open end thereof and terminate in a projecting retaining edge or lip I6. Depending legs I7 are offset inwardly from the retaining edges or lips 16 and extend below the member I4.

When two sectional carrying cases are locked together side by side, the slots 9 are in alignment and the locking clip can be inserted within the aligned slots, clipping the exposed portions of the sidewalls together. The locking clip can then be flexed or bent and the retaining lips or edges 16 forced above the edges 11 to retain the locking clip in place. When the retaining edges or lips I6 are forced above the edge 11, the inherent resiliency of the locking clip will expand the clip, bringing the depending legs I7 into engagement with the edges II.

When the locking clip has been thus inserted into locking position it serves as a relatively permanent locking means to maintain the sectional carrying cases in locked condition. 0n the other hand, the locking clip can be removed in the event that it is desired to separate the sectional carrying cases.

I claim:

1. A device for locking together a pair of sectional carrying cases having interlocking tongue and groove formations along the sides which are interlocked to make up a composite carrying case and having aligned slots formed in the carrying case comprising a resilient clip for locking together parts of the sectional carrying cases, said clip including a pair of spaced apart upstanding clip elements which extend into the aligned slots of the sectional carrying cases and hold the carrying cases together, outward extensions on opposite sides of said clip and retaining means at the ends of said outward extensions engageable with other parts of the sectional carrying cases for retaining the locking device in place, the said retaining means being forced into engagement with said other parts of the sectional carrying cases by flexing the said clip.

2. A locking device as set forth in claim I including a sloping surface extending outwardly from each side of the clip below the open end of the clip to the respective retaining means.

3. A locking device as set forth in claim I in which the retaining means is a protruding lip and including legs depending from the bottom of the outwardl extensions and offset inwardly from the ends of the lips.

4. A composite carrying case made up of a pair of sectional carrying cases having interlocking tongue and groove formations along the sides which are interlocked to make up the composite carrying case comprising aligned slots formed in the carrying cases, a resilient clip having a pair of upstanding clip elements which extend into the aligned slots for clipping together parts of the sectional carrying cases exposed by said slots, and clip retaining means extending outwardly from opposite sides of said flexible clip terminating in ends which are forced into engagement with other parts of the sectional carrying cases exposed by said slots to retain the clip in locking position.

5. A composite carrying case as set forth in claim 4 in which the clip holds together portions of the sidewalls of the sectional carrying cases and the retaining ends of the outward extensions are forced above the bottom edges of the sectional carrying cases.

6. A composite carrying case as set forth in claim 4 including a sloping surface extending outwardly from each side of the clip below the open end of the clip to the respective retaining means.

7. A composite carrying case as set forth in claim 4 in which the retaining means is a protruding lip and including legs depending from the bottom of the outward extensions and offset inwardly from the ends ofthe lips. 

1. A device for locking together a pair of sectional carrying cases having interlocking tongue and groove formations along the sides which are interlocked to make up a composite carrying case and having aligned slots formed in the carrying case comprising a resilient clip for locking together parts of the sectional carrying cases, said clip including a pair of spaced apart upstanding clip elements which extend into the aligned slots of the sectional carrying cases and hold the carrying cases together, outward extensions on opposite sides of said clip and retaining means at the ends of said outward extensions engageable with other parts of the sectional carrying cases for retaining the locking device in place, the said retaining means being forced into engagement with said other parts of the sectional carrying cases by flexing the said clip.
 2. A locking device as set forth in claim 1 including a sloping surface extending outwardly from each side of the clip below the open end of the clip to the respective retaining means.
 3. A locking device as set forth in claim 1 in which the retaining means is a protruding lip and including legs depending from the bottom of the outward extensions and offset inwardly from the ends of the lips.
 4. A composite carrying case made up of a pair of sectional carrying cases having interlocking tongue and groove formations along the sides which are interlocked to make up the composite carrying case comprising aligned slots formed in the carrying cases, a resilient clip having a pair of upstanding clip elements which extend into the aligned slots for clipping together parts of the sectional carrying cases exposed by said slots, and clip retaining means extending outwardly from opposite sides of said flexible clip terminating in ends which are forced into engagement wiTh other parts of the sectional carrying cases exposed by said slots to retain the clip in locking position.
 5. A composite carrying case as set forth in claim 4 in which the clip holds together portions of the sidewalls of the sectional carrying cases and the retaining ends of the outward extensions are forced above the bottom edges of the sectional carrying cases.
 6. A composite carrying case as set forth in claim 4 including a sloping surface extending outwardly from each side of the clip below the open end of the clip to the respective retaining means.
 7. A composite carrying case as set forth in claim 4 in which the retaining means is a protruding lip and including legs depending from the bottom of the outward extensions and offset inwardly from the ends of the lips. 